Safety razor construction



sept 11, 1956 H. P. lsROFF ETAL 2,762,121

SAFETY RAzoR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Aug. l2, 1953 din,

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FIG. 6

FIG. 5

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l Y INVENTORS HELAINE P. ISROFF a BY GEORGE TROV ATTYS Sept. 11, 1956 H. P. ISRQFF ETAL 2,762,121

SAFETY RAZOR CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. l2, 1953 FIGS rim

FIG. 7

FIG. IO

FIG. I2

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Y INVENTORS HELAINE- P. ISROFF 8 BY GEORGE OSTROV @I 5K/7d ATTYS.

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V2,762,121 Patented Sept. 11, 1956 ifi@ SAFETY RAZOR CONSTRUCTION Helaine P. Isrot and George Ostrov, Canton, Ohio; said Ostrov assigner to James K. Luntz, Canton, Ohio Application August 12, 1953, Serial No. 373,714

3 Claims. (Cl. .3U-60.5)

The invention relates generally to safety razors of the type shown in United States Patent No. 2,009,272, issued July 23, 1935, to Joseph Muros, in which a thin iiexible blade is removably clamped in a head by screwing the outer end of a handle post attached to the head. More particularly, the invention relates to improved means for opening and closing the head, certain embodiments of which are shown and described in our copending application Serial No. 366,484, led July 7, 1953. The present invention embodies further modifications and improvements in the means for opening and closing the head.

The operation of the razor of said Muros Patent No. 2,009,272 to open and close the head requires the use of both hands, which gives rise to certain disadvantages in respect to danger of injury, inconvenience and awkwardness in replacing the blade.

The objects of the present invention include the provision of an improved safety razor of the type described in which the razor may be held in one hand and the head opened and closed by using the thumb or linger of the same hand while holding the razor in s-having position.

Another object is to provide an improved safety razor construction having head opening and closing means which locks the head in fully closed position.

A further object is to provide a simple and compact mechanism which is easily incorporated in ak handle post of substantially conventional size, and easily operated by pressing a button in the side of said handle post.

These and ancillary objects are accomplished by the improvements and combinations comprising the present invention, the preferred embodiments of which are shown by way of example in the accompanying drawings and described in detail herein. Various modifications and changes in details of construction may be made without departing from the scope of the invention defined in the appended claims.

Referring to the drawings:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a sa-fety razor embodying a preferredy form of the present improvements;

Fig. 2 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional view showing the cap members of the headI fully closed and clamping a blade in shaving position;

Fig. 4 is a similar view showing the head in open position;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section on line 5-5, Fig. 3; and

Fig. 6 is a transverse section on line 6--6, Fig. 3;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation of a razor embodying a modiiied form of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a front elevation thereof;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional View showing the cap members of the head fully closed on a blade;

Fig. 10 is a similar View showing the cap members in open position;

Fig. 11 is a transverse sectional view on line 11-11, Fig. 9; and

Fig. 12 is a transverse sectional view on line I212`, Fig. 9.

The razor shown in Figs. 1-6 has a bladesupporting platform 20 preferably formed from heavysheet metal with a central recess 21, and the bottom of the recess is rigidly connected to a tubular head 22, as by spinning. The platform 20 preferably has downturned flanges 23' at its ends and downturned guard lips 24 extending along itsside edges. The tubular head 22 is shouldered at 25 to receive the upper end of a handle post or barrell 26, within with a spindle 27 is axially slidable.

The upper end 23 of the spindle 27 has a cross bar 29 secured therein which extends longitudinally' over' the recess 21 of the platform. The cross bar 29 vmay be made by folding a sheet metal blank, and the folded' blank is received in a slot 30 in the end 28 of the spin'- dle. The bar 29 is pivoted in the spindle preferably by die pressing the material of the spindle into a transverse perforation 32 in the bar. As shown, the endsk 33 of the cross bar are offset downwardly and pass 'between' the iianges 23 of the platform to connect with horizontal bracket arms 34 at the ends of the platform.

The bracket arms 34 are pivoted at 35 to thel lowerv ends of arms 36 which depend from the other ends of cap members 38 adapted in closed position toA clamp a flexible razor blade 39 in a transversely curved position on 4the platform 20. The arms 36 move up and down in guide slots formed at the ends of the platform between the end anges 23 and the side guard' lips 24.

As the spindle 27 is moved up or down by mechanism to be described, the cross bar 29 and bracket arms 34 move up or down carrying the pivots 35 with them. The lower ends of arms 36 have cam projections 41' on their outer edges, and when the arms are raised by the pivots the cam projections 41 engage the guard' lips' 24 adjacent the slots 40 and rotate the cap members 38 outwardly to a point where they will swing fully open. by gravity and rest on top of the lips, as shown in Fig. 4. In this position of the cap members 38, the blade 39 can, be lifted out and replaced by a new one. When the arms 36 are lowered by downward movement of the pivots 35, the arms 36 rock inwardly on the upper' surfaces of the lips 24 to move the cap members 38 inwardly toward closed position, and as the pivots are low'- ered further the cap members are pulled down to clamp the blade 39 in transversely curved position, as shown in Fig. 2.

The parts thus far described per se do not constitute part of the present invention.

The improved mechanism of the present invention,y in the form of Figs. 1 6, consists of means for reciprocating the spindle 27 to open and close the cap members 38 of the head. Preferably, the lower end of the spindle has a counterbore 43 which receives the upper end of a compression spring 44 having its lower end abutting the end Wall 45 of the post 26. The spring 44 urges lthe spindle upwardly to a point where the shoulder 46 abuts the lower end of tubular head 22, as shown in. Fig. 4, in which position the cap members 38 are fully open.

A lever larm 47 is pivoted on a pin 48 secured in the post 26, and the arm is located in a slot 49 extending longitudinally of the post in one side thereof, so that the upper end portion of the arm can swing laterally outward through the slot 49 about its pivot 48, as indicated in Fig. 4. The inner end of the arm extends into a slot- 50 in the spindle and has a notch 51 which engages over a pin 52 secured in the spindle and traversing the slot 50.

The extreme upper end 47 of lever arm 47 is preferably beveled otf to form a point which abuts the upper edge of slot 49 when the arm is swung within the slot to close Ythe cap members 38, and a spring pressed thumb.A

slightly overhangs the pointed end 47 of the arm to hold it in closed position when the button is at the bottom of its slot 54, Where it is urged by a small springr57 located in a hole in the bottom of the tubular head 22.

When it is desired to open the head of the razor itis only necessary to push upwardly on the but-ton Q53 to move it upwardly against spring 57 a slight amount to release the arm 47, and the pressure of spring 44 will raise the spindle and swing the arm laterally outward as shown in Fig. 4. The button is conveniently pushed with the end of the thumb of the right hand of the operator normally holding the razor in shaving position. As the lever arm 47 is swung outwardly its movement may be retarded and regulated by pressure of the thumb thereon, the thumb being iiexed as the arm swings outward.V

While the razor is in the open position of Fig. 4, the blade 39 may be quickly and easily removed and replaced using the left hand, and without changing its previous position, the thumb of the right hand is ready to .press the lever arm 47 inwardly to the closed position of Fig. 2. As the arm is thus swung inwardly, the spindle moves downwardly compressing the spring 44 and lthe cap members close lover and clamp the blade in transversely curved position. As the point 47 of the lever arm contacts the rounded head of button 53 `it cams or wedges it upwardly sufficiently to allow the point of the arm to pass underneath the head, and the spring 57 forces the button downwardly to engage over and lock the arm in the closed position of Fig. 3.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 7-l2, the spindle 60 has a longitudinal notch 61 which is positioned laterally opposite to a longitudinal slot 62 in one side of the handle post 63. VA Slide bar 64 is slida-ble'la'terally in said notch, and a compression spring 65 is interposed between the slide 64 and a counterbore 66 in the bottom of said notch, for urging the slide laterally outward.

As shown, the ends of the slot 62 in the post are preferably beveled and a boss 6'7 on the outer surface of slide 64 has beveled ends adapted to fit the ends of slot 62, to hold the slide against longitudinal movement `when in its closed position of Fig. 9. A thumb piece or projection 68 on the outer surface of the boss 67 extends through slot 62 and abuts the upper end thereof to limit upward movement of the slide when it is pressed inwardly and upwardly to open the cap members V38 of the head. The projection 68 may be attached to slide bar 64 by means of a screw 69 which is threaded through the bar 64 with i-ts inner end acting as a centering boss for the vspring 65.

The spindle 60 is operatively connected to the capV members in the same manner as spindle 27 in the first fonn of the invention, and the construction and operation of the head is identical.

To open the head of the razor in this form of the invention the operator, while holding the razor in Shaving position in his right hand for example, pushes inwardly with his `right thumb on the projection 68 to force the slide bar into the notch 61 of the spindle sufficiently to release Vthe boss 67 of the bar from the slot 62. In a continuing motion the projection is pressed upwardly with the thumb until it abuts the upper end of slot 62, as shown in Fig. l0,.and this movement.

causes the spindle to move upwardly and fully open the head.

To close the head, the thumb is merely shifted ever so slightly upward to engage over the upper edge of the projection 68, and a downward pull exerted' to return the slide bar and spindle to its cap closing position, whereupon When the pressureon the bar is removed, the spring returns the boss 67 into engagement with the slot 62 and lockstheslide bar and spindle in closed position, f

as Shown in Fig. 9.

Both forms of the improved opening and closing mechanismfare compact and inexpensive in construction, and easily incorporated in a handle post of conventional size, While providing for quickly opening and closing the razor by manipulating the push button or projection in -thc side of the handle with the thumb of the hand holding the razor in shaving position.

What is claimed is:

l. In a safety razor having a rtubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle, a cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in lsaid post and Voperatively connected to said cap, a slot extending longitudinally in the side of said post, said spindle having a recess opposite said slot, a slide laterally movable in said recess and having an elongated boss engagea'ole in said slot, a spring for 'urging said slide laterally toward said slot, and a but-ton on said slide projecting through said slot, whereby pressing the'button releases the boss from engagement with Ithe slot to allow reciprocating the spindle within the limits of movement of the button in the slot.

2. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post,

slide movable longitudinally in' said slot .for reciprocat' ing said spindle when the projecting portion is disengaged from the slot.

V3. In a safety razor having a tubular handle post, a blade supporting platform on one end of the handle post, a cap movably mounted on said platform and a spindle axially movable in said post and operatively connected to said cap, said Spindle having a side recess, said post having Va longitudinal slot, a slide member on said spindle laterally movable in said recess and having a boss for tting in said slot, spring means urging said slide member laterally of said spindle Vinto engagement with said post, and a button on said slide projecting through said slot, whereby pressing the button releases the boss from engagement with the slot to allow reciprocating the spindle within the limits of movement of the button in the slot.

References Cited n the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

